Killbuck not out of the woods yet

April 17, 2009 12:04 am

— ANDERSON — Board members saved Killbuck Elementary School from closure this week, but the school may still be in jeopardy, and Edgewood Elementary could be the next school on the chopping block.
Anderson Community Schools Business Manager Kevin Brown said the school district must still cut more than $1 million to reach its goal of $5 million by 2010, but another huge budget loss is around the corner.
The most recent estimates indicate that the circuit breaker will force ACS to cut another $8 million from its budget in 2011.
“We’ve got a difficult time ahead of us,” Brown said.
In 2008, the school district’s general fund budget was $67.1 million, Brown said.
With $13 million in cuts over two years, the school could be looking at losing 19 percent of its budget.
Board member Irma Stewart said the school will eventually close, mostly because it’s too small and other schools can absorb the students comfortably. There are just under 300 students at Killbuck.
Stewart believes Edgewood and Killbuck specifically are at risk due to their size and geographic location on the outskirts of town.
On Thursday, Stewart wasn’t ready to speculate about other schools at risk for closure in the coming years. “I haven’t thought beyond those two schools.”
If the student population increases, she said, schools might not be in as much danger of closure, she said, but the current population does not support so many schools. “Obviously, if the population stays where it is, we’re going to have to look seriously at the facilities.”
ACS has not yet expressed how it intends to shave the remaining $1 million from its budget by the end of the year without closing another school, but this week, Superintendent Mikella Lowe announced that she’s axing three top administrative positions at the central administration offices to help cut costs.
Brown said the district is in for a bumpy ride, but so is everyone else. “It’s going to be difficult but if you’ve noticed, every school system in the state is grappling with this.”

Contact Brandi Watters: 640-4847, brandi.watters@heraldbulletin.com